The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-30
FALSE LIMBS.
ODD ARTIFICIAL MEMBERS AND
HOW THEY ARE MADE.
The Cork Leg a aMyth-What 1t Costs
to Wear False Limbs-A
Boy With Rubber
Hands.


"Do you ever have requests to make
queer artificial limbs2" was asked OF a
manufacturer who had wooden leg
prominently displayed in a showcase on
Broadway.
"Oh, yes" was the reply, eve have all
kinds of visitors, some of whom want
very odd things. Only short time
since man dropped in who wanted me
to make him an artificial nose. 1t wasn't
in my line, however, as I only make legs,
arms and fingers, so was compelled to
decline his request. There are many
curious things about my business. For
instance, if man only loses his foot he
is compelled to wear an entire false leg,
just as if he had lost his leg up above the
knee. If he loses his hand he is COM
pelIed to wear false arm, because other
7yise it wouldn't work right and couldn't
be fastened securely. With finger,
however, it is different, as we can gener-
ally fasten that on 80 that no one could
tell the difference.
"Do you make cork legs'" was asked.
The manufacturer laughed heartily as
he replied:
"No, I do not; and I never knew any
one who did. The cork leg is a fable.
All artificial legs and arms are made of
light wood, such as willow, bassw ood or
something of that sort. The wood is Gov
cred with raw hide in order to preserve
it, and the top, as you see, is made of
leather nicely padded where it fastens on
the stump of the real leg"
"What is the cost of artificial limbsT'
San artificial leg usually costs SIS, al
though we have made them as high as
$3.50. An arm doesn't cost quite so
much, and fingers are less in proper
tion."
How long will the limbs last3"
"We guarantee a leg to last FIVE years,
although l have known one to be worn
for fifteen years. If man is careless
and gets his artificial foot wet it will
soon rot, and then he will be compelled
to have new one fastened to his leg
We can put new foot on just as easily
as a shoemaker puts sole on your shoe. "
"Do you ever sell ready-made artificial
limbs2"
"Oh, no." responded the manufac-
turer, "every one has to be made to
order, because no two men are exactly
alike. When a man wants limb we
measure him very carefully for it, as it
must be exactly the same size as his
natural limb, or he would feel awkward.
1t Is made Just as near the same shape OF
bis natural limb as possible, and he soon
gets accustomed to it,"
.sYou mentioned requests that you
sometimes had for odd limbs"
eyes" replied the manufacturer;
sthere was the man I mentioned who
wanted the nose. I have seen several
artificial noses, but never made any.
They are usually made of wax or plaster
of paris, and are generally tasted to the
face by pair of spectacles caught over
the ears. They generally have rather a
queer appearance and don't look much
like the natural article. They are also
very expensive, as there is great deal
of work on them, especially in the color
ing. The object, of course, is to make
them as much like the natural skin color
ss possible. I knew an old army officer
who lost his nose in the war and had an
artificial one made. He was very hard
drinker and he used TO 60 to the man
who made his nose every six months and
have it colored UP little more, to make
it look natural. as he said.
81 also knew a man." continued the
manufacturer, "who lost an ear and had
one made of india.rubber. 1t was beau
tiful piece of work, ard was very deli
cately tinted the exact color of human
ear. No one could have told the differ
ence, and very few people knew that ne
wore an artificial ear until one day he
dressed in a hurry and put it on wrong
side before. He came downtown with
it that way, and created great sensa-
ton before he discovered his mistake.
1.-The queerest case ever heard Of. was
of man who lost his lower jaw and had
it replaced by an artificial one composed
of rubber and wax. BY an arrangement
of springs he could .se it almost as we'll
as an ordinary jaw. Then there is the
case of that boy at Belleville, N. j., who
lost both hands in machine last Spring.
His friends took up q subscription for
him and had two hands made for him.
From the wrist up they were made OF
ash and the hands were made of rubber,
covered with kid gloves. understand
that he can use them nearly as well as
natural hands and pick up pen and
write with it easily.
II tell you we can replace almost any
part of man except his head, and per-
haps in another century they,l be able to
do that. ."-NeU York Journal.